Pinnacle Entertainment

Gaming regulators in Missouri have approved Pinnacle Entertainment's $2.8 billion purchase of Ameristar Casinos, clearing one of the final hurdles in the acquisition.

The Missouri Gaming Commission voted 4-0 in favor of the deal Wednesday. Missouri was the last state to approve. The Federal Trade Commission must still give the go-ahead. Pinnacle spokeswoman Kerry Andersen says the company hopes to complete the transaction in August.

Two gaming companies with properties in the St. Louis area are about to become one.

Pinnacle Entertainment, which owns the Lumiere and River City casinos, announced Friday morning that it’s purchasing Ameristar Casinos. Ameristar has eight properties across the United States, including in St. Charles and Kansas City.

The deal is worth about $3 billion, and has the approval of the boards of directors of both companies. It means that Pinnacle will own three of the six casinos in the bi-state region.